A compromise had been effected with the striking waiters, and the heat had lessened a little in its intensity. The two things, together with the nonappearance of Ashby Stout were blessings for which Rex had to be grateful.

But when the stage came in and he recognized among the passengers Miles Darley and the latter's father, he did not know whether he was glad or not. They were links connecting him with that past life which he was trying his best to forget. Now it seemed to him that only by forgetting it and thus doing away with the power of contrast, could he be happy in the present.

"You dear old fellow!" Miles rushed forward with this exclamation and fairly took Rex in his arms.

He had grown much in the past few months and the clothes he wore set off his figure to great advantage.

"I won't say where on earth did you come from," said Rex, "but where in the world are you going to, that you should take in this forsaken place?"

"Well, that's polite, I'm sure," laughed Miles, "Can't you imagine that Batemans may be our objective point?"

"No, because I'm certain you can't be interested in saw mills, and that's the only thing that brings people here."

"But I can be interested in you, can't I, Rex? I've missed you terribly. That great house seems so lonely with only three of us in it."

"But you needn't have stayed there in the summer. There's the White Mountains or the sea coast-- lots of places you could have gone to."

"If we choose to come here instead, it's all right, isn't it, Rex?"

"Of course it is, old fellow, and now I see that the best way in which I can entertain you is to tell you right off how I came by this black eye," which Rex proceeded at once to do.

"Good for you, my little game cock!" exclaimed Miles, when he had heard the story. "Speaking of Stout, your friend Harrington has tried to scrape acquaintance with me, but he hasn't got beyond the scraping stage yet. I wonder what Stout was doing out here."

"His father's in the lumber business, I believe. But I'm afraid you'll find it pretty hot, Miles."

"Well, I've had so many cold days in my time I guess I can stand a little heat."

Rex was not the only one of the Pells who was astonished by the advent of the Darleys. Their coming was a complete surprise to the entire family. And a still greater cause of astonishment was the prolongation of their stay.

They rented two of the best rooms in the house, had awnings put up at the windows and wicker furniture sent on from Denver. Mr. Darley took frequent trips to neighboring towns. It was understood by the gossips at Batemans that he was a large Eastern capitalist, looking about for profitable mining investments.

July, August and half of September passed, and still the Darleys remained. Miles was supremely content, for he was with Rex, for whom his admiration appeared to increase with each day's added intimacy. Miles had brought his books, and they studied together some. And in spite of the forlornness of the place, the five young people managed to have a pretty good time.

One afternoon Roy and Rex were washing the omnibus out at the stable. The driver, hearing of a big strike that had been made at a mine some sixty miles away, threw up his............